Come listen to Scott Rashid and learn about birds of spring in Estes. Scott Rashid is the Founder and Director of CARRI where members research and rehabilitate birds. Scott will be discussing the natural history of spring birds that can been seen around the Estes Valley. The following birds are the focus of Scott’s talk: the hummingbirds and bluebirds.

Join award-winning photographer and local writer Dawn Wilson for a presentation about the ‘junk birds.’ Content will include a discussion about birds such as crows, magpies, and turkeys.

Chase Rylands is the District Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. His main goal is to empower our community to protect our wildlife in all seasons. In this Talk, we will learn about elk migrations around the Estes Valley and Northern Colorado.

Date/Time: Thursday, December 7, 2023 from 6-7 PM

Come learn more about the geology and formations around the Estes Valley. Dr. Ellen Wohl is a fluvial geomorphologist who has studied channel morphology and the processes that created and maintained this morphology along with many of the facets that make up mountain streams.

Date/Time: Thursday, November 9, 2023 from 6-7 PM

Located in Lyons, Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center has been treating wild birds, waterfowl, and mammals along the Front Range since 1982. Ali Moreno will give us the behind the scenes look at what they do day and night!

Date/Time: Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 6-7 PM

Come and join us as Ducks Unlimited’s very own Greg Kernohan shares his knowledge of ducks and their unique habitats. Greg’s role as a Conservation Director of Ecosystem Services with Ducks Unlimited helps to meet their mission that conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. This talk will be at the ESTES VALLEY COMMUNTIY CENTER - LOWER LEVEL.

Date/Time: Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 9:30-11:30 AM

Come help EVWC, Estes community members and other volunteers as we clean up discarded fishing line and gear along Lake Estes. This clean up will help protect Estes wildlife, especially birds, and help keep our lake beautiful. This event will require some walking along uneven terrain and near the water so please dress appropriately!

If needed we have a weather make up day scheduled for Saturday, October 21st from 9:30-11:30 AM.

Date/Time: Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 6-7 PM

Steve Armstead, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation will provide amazing insights into current efforts around pollinator conservation. He will also share his thoughts on how we too can assist in helping with conservation efforts.

Date/Time: Friday, August 18, 2023 from 9:30-11:30 AM

Join us on a Estes Valley Land Trust Conservation Easement and help remove and bag noxious weeds.

Date/Time: Wednesday, August 16, 2023 from 5-7 PM

Come join the Estes Valley Watershed Coalition at Rock Cut Brewery and learn more about what we do or just join us and chat!

This event has been cancelled for now but check back in the Fall for a rescheduled date!

Monday August 14, 2023 from 9-2 PM

Guests will enjoy time hiking in the woods while learning about different types of forest treatments including hand thinning, pile building and burning, and mechanical whole tree removal on both public and private lands. Our co-hosts will also discuss some of the post-fire recovery work that has taken place since the fires of 2020.

Co-hosted by: NoCo Fireshed Collaborative, Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, Larimer Conservation District, Larimer County, U.S. Forest Service, Big Thompson Watershed Coalition, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Valley Land Trust & the Estes Valley Fire Protection District.

Meet at the Estes Valley Parking Garage - we will carpool in vans from there.

What to bring: Water, sunscreen, snacks, jacket, layers, comfortable shoes/boots for hiking in forested areas and a lunch.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE TICKET!

This hike is for EVWC and Estes Park Garden Club members.

If you’d like to join us please click here to become a member today!

We will start at the Alpine Visitor Center (elevation 11,796 feet) and hike downhill to Poudre Lake/Milner Pass (elevation 10,758 feet). The hike is 4.5 miles one-way with an elevation loss of 1,038 feet. There are a couple of stretches of up-hill on the way. We will hike one-way and car shuttle back from Milner Pass to the Alpine Visitor Center. This is extraordinary hike starting in the alpine and finishing in the subalpine forest. It offers several types of habitats so we will see a diversity of flowers. Meet at 7:30 am to carpool. This is a morning hike with lunch on the trail. Expect to get back early afternoon. (More details will be sent to participants closer to the event.)

The details and how to sign up!

• The walks will be limited to 12 people, on a first come-first served basis

• One walk per participant

• If there is space, you may attend an additional walk

• We will also be creating a waiting list

• You will be notified once your position on the walk is confirmed

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Estes Park Garden Club at the email below.

PLEASE RSVP to  estesparkgardenclub1@gmail.com with the following information: Date of Event; Your Name; Your email address.

This hike is for EVWC and Estes Park Garden Club members.

If you’d like to join us please click here to become a member today!

The trailhead for this walk is the Tundra World Nature Trail & Toll Memorial, elevation 12,110 feet. This is a mostly paved asphalt trail with elevation gain of 194 vertical feet. It is one-mile round trip. This trail walks you through the amazing world of alpine wildflowers. Also frequently seen are marmots and pikas. Meet at 7:30 am to carpool. (More details will be sent to participants closer to the event.)

The details and how to sign up!

The walks will be limited to 12 people, on a first come-first served basis

• One walk per participant

• If there is space, you may attend an additional walk

• We will also be creating a waiting list

• You will be notified once your position on the walk is confirmed

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Estes Park Garden Club at the email below.

PLEASE RSVP to  estesparkgardenclub1@gmail.com with the following information: Date of Event; Your Name; Your email address.

EVWC board members, avid naturalists and photographers, Andy and Rachel Ames are involved with black bear education and outreach in Boulder and the Estes Valley. Come join us for an in-depth look into the life of a bear.  We will cover bear basics, behavior, diet through the seasons, as well as learn why black bears are considered the super hibernators of the animal world.

Join us IN PERSON at the Estes Valley Community Center or via ZOOM. Please RSVP using the links below.

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP (at) evwatershed (dot) org

Register for Zoom HERE

EVWC Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

EVWC and the Estes Park Middle School Environmental Resiliency Team is partnering to plant some riparian plants along Fish Creek. Cemex Global funded the purchase of native riparian plants that we will plant along a conservation easement property. These plants will help stabilize the river banks and provide wildlife forage and habitat!

Our weather/backup planting day is scheduled for Friday, May 26th.

We will meet at Fish Creek Road and Brook Lane so feel free to join us when you can: please click here OR email evwatershed (at) evwatershed (dot) org to RSVP!

Dr. Gregory Florant earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University where he was the first researcher to successfully trap marmots. He started by asking himself what he would like to eat after a long winter’s hibernation–something fat and greasy. To this day, bacon grease is the choice for baiting marmots. He went on to CSU where he taught biology and physiology, but also advanced programs to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, a legacy that continues.

Join us IN PERSON at the Estes Valley Community Center or via ZOOM. Please RSVP using the links below.

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

EVWC Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

The annual Estes Park Rotary Duck Race will be held on Saturday, May 6th. Festivities will begin at 10am at the George Hix Riverside Plaza, where EVWC will host a booth offering free fly-fishing lessons for all ages, along with a fun fishing game just for kids. We hope you’ll bring the family out and help us to educate and inspire the next generation of our watershed’s caretakers.

This event has raised over $3 million for local charities and organizations, and we receive $22 for every $25 duck you adopt in our name. You can adopt single ducks, or a “quack pack” of 6 for the price of 5, and get an extra chance to win.

To adopt your Duck for EVWC CLICK HERE. To learn more about the Rotary Duck Race CLICK HERE

An Earth Day Celebration You Don’t Want to Miss

Come celebrate Earth Day with EVWC on Saturday, April 22nd from 2-5pm at the Estes Valley Community Center (lower level). We’ll be hosting a discussion with two local scientists: Dr. Steven Fassnacht, Professor of Watershed Science at CSU, and Dr. Koren Nydick, Chief of Resource Stewardship at Rocky Mountain National Park. Steven studies how climate change is affecting snowpack (our primary source of water) while Koren looks at how our wildlife is coping with these same environmental changes.

We’ll also see a presentation from the Environmental Resilience Team, a group of students from Estes Park middle school led by science teacher Ravi Davis who have come together to help raise awareness about environmental issues in our community. The team is participating in a statewide challenge called Earth Force RISE, to create a civic action proposal to improve climate resiliency in our community.

Light refreshments will be served, and we also have some exciting door prizes to give away. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about and engage with the future of our ecosystems.

CLICK HERE to RSVP to this free event!

$5 Suggested Donation for attendees

For more Earth Day fun and activities click here!

Spend a little time along any river or creek in the Estes Park area and you will most likely see an American dipper. These bluish-grey birds are the only aquatic songbird in North America. Spending their lives entirely around water, they are dependent upon a healthy water environment. Join award-winning photographer and local writer Dawn Wilson for a presentation about these little birds. Content will include natural history about the dipper, statistics about this bird and how they are related to water health.

Join us IN PERSON at the Estes Valley Community Center or via ZOOM. Please RSVP using the links below.

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

EVWC Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

Dive into the biology and behavior of the smallest subspecies of the world's largest deer with Jared Gricoskie. Jared owns and operates Yellow Wood Guiding in Estes Park, specializing in nature tours and photo safaris in Rocky Mountain National Park.. With a degree in environmental interpretation, he has worked as a professional naturalist exploring and researching the flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains, always looking for more wonders in the natural world to share with others.

Join us IN PERSON at the Estes Valley Community Center or via ZOOM.

Please RSVP using the links below.

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

EVWC Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

Chris Ray studies the dynamics of plant and animal populations, especially how certain species are threatened by climate change and habitat fragmentation. In this talk, she will focus on how changes in snow cover and subsurface ice might affect pikas and their relationship to watershed health.

Join us IN PERSON at the Estes Valley Community Center or via ZOOM.

Please RSVP using the links below.

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

EVWC Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

Join us for a social event with donors, volunteers and members! We will have light appetizers and drinks will be available for purchase. No RSVP needed and everyone welcome so wear your ugly holiday sweater and come join us!

Brian Berg is a Certified Arborist with The International Society of Arboriculture. He graduated from Western State College in Gunnison with a BS in Environmental Studies and Biology. He provides Tree Talks in town and offers residents advice about their trees.

Come join us in person at the Estes Valley Community Center or Register for the Zoom talk!

IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

WWS Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

Come listen to Scott Rashid and learn about small mountain owls. Scott Rashid is the Founder and Director of CARRI where members research and rehabilitate birds. Scott will be discussing the natural history of four small owls that nest in and around RMNP–their habitat and food preferences, nesting behaviors, and the growth of their young. The following owls are the focus of Scott’s talk: the northern Pygmy owl, Northern Saw-whet, Boreal Owl, and Flammulated Owl.

RSVP IN PERSON CLICK HERE or email RSVP@evwatershed.org

Register for Zoom HERE

WWS Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

Come join us for the annual Lake Estes Fishing Line Clean up Event. Join the Wandering Wildlife Society, Estes community members and other volunteers as we clean up fishing line along Lake Estes.

Click on the photo for more information and to sign up or RSVP HERE!

Join us in person or via Zoom to hear Evan Jones discuss threats to trout fishing. Evan is a fly fishing guide, author, and writer with boundless enthusiasm for all things fish-related. He lives in Pinewood Springs, but was introduced to fly-fishing on Big Thompson River 40 years ago. He volunteers for various conservation and youth fishing projects. His presentation will focus on various threats to our local trout fisheries and what we can do to help preserve and protect these fragile environments.

RSVP for In Person OR email RSVP@evwatershed.org

RSVP for Zoom

WWS Members: FREE

Non-Members: $5 Suggested Donation

The Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, in collaboration with Larimer County will present a Climate Change and Sustainability Program on Saturday, August 20. The program will be free and open to the public and will take place in the Foyer and Ballroom of the Estes Park Ridgeline Hotel from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Speakers include Dr. Scott Denning, Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally, and Heidi Pruess.

CLICK on the photo or title to register and read more about the event!

Calais Thomas from the Butterfly Pavilion will talk about the importance of pollinators, their threat, and how to plant a garden to help these tiny giants survive habitat loss and climate change.